The present invention relates generally to an apparatus for processing of cereal grains, and more particularly to an apparatus for shelling, husking or otherwise surface treating such cereal grains as corn kernels, wheat or the like.
Cereal grains include corn, wheat, rice, millet and the like. The seeds of these plants must in many instances be shelled or husked, that is have a hard shell or husk removed from the softer interior of the grain. In other instance, other surface treatments must be given to these grains. To carry out such processing, it is known from the prior art to provide an apparatus which is relatively long and into which the cereal grain is admitted in the presence of water, and is then agitated by paddles which are also so arranged that they advance the cereal grain lengthwise of the apparatus. This has certain disadvantages, including the fact that there are many instances in which it is not desirable that the cereal grain in question be wetted since this influences the grain in a manner that is not readily controllable. Furthermore, the contact with the paddles has the disadvantage that the grain undergoes substantial mechanical treatment, which is also disadvantageous. Furthermore, the trough of the apparatus in which the grain is processed, can be filled only partially and this has the disadvantage that the various grains are subjected to nonuniform processing, and that the treatment time is quite long.
Another apparatus utilizes cup-shaped members of polygonal circumference which are mounted axially adjacent on a shaft, and which are partially surrounded by a screen. This apparatus processes the cereal grains in dry condition and does not require the admixing of water with the grains. However, here again the grains are sujected largely to mechanical processing which is undesirable, and in addition the apparatus is rather noisy, both of which are undesirable features.